In fangs we trust
by Kitane Darkness
Summary: Erica hartman is just discovering what it means to be a vampire. On the way with her faithful panda Akamaru, her *%@)#! Sara, and her evil mentor Asha, she'll uncover magic that no other vampire- or any other creature, for that matter- has ever seen before.


"Good." Asha said. "Very good. You'll be a vampire in no time at all." I groaned. Asha laughed. "You're done for today. Go get some sleep. You'll need it for tomorrow." She thought for a moment. "Oh, and drink this." She tossed me a packet that smelled really good. "And no need to freak. It's a blood substitute." I didn't think. I extended my fangs (fangs!) and dove them into the packet. It was delicious.

When I was done, I discovered I could think rationally again. Then the fury hit. I growled, extending my fangs, and taking a step toward Asha.

"Why," I snarled, "did you turn _me_ into a vampire?"

She smiled angelically. "Knew you'd realize it eventually." She said.

I growled again, realizing she meant me not believing I was a vampire. Well, now I believed, and now I was about to tear her face off. Painfully. I was really going to enjoy this.

But her next words made me stop cold. "We needed someone, and you had all the skills we were looking for." I stood their, stunned.

"Skills?" I whispered. "Yes." She said. "You had three things we needed, and even something that we never thought we would see again. One, you had a strong will. You showed us this when you fought against us tooth and nail. Two, you were physically able. You had strength and speed beyond any human we had ever seen. You took acrobatics and went to a gym for four years, didn't you?"

"How do you know that?" I demanded, my voice returning.

She snorted. "We looked up your files. This wasn't just a random selection. You were exactly who we needed."

"Anyway, you also possessed two other skills. You had quick wits. This has allowed you to escape from a number of 'sticky situations' hasn't it?"

My thoughts floated back to that spring day when I was five. Me and a friend were playing. He made a sick innuendo that I got. I punched him. The little rat ran screaming to his mother and mine. I had a quick idea. I pinched myself as hard as I could until I cried. So when our parents came running up I was tear streaked. I showed them my red arm and said that he threw the first punch. He got in a lot of trouble, and I was told to not use my fists.

She smirked. "Last is the most amazing. Even as a human, you possessed a psychic connection to the world around you. You even saved a friend's life?"

My thoughts drifted again to another day in seventh grade. My friend had to walk home every day. One day I got a bad feeling about it, and asked if she could have a sleepover with me. It was Friday, so both our moms agreed.

The next day, a news flash came on about a drive-by that happened on the street she walked down every day.

"So?" I asked, "That was just luck. And it's a good thing I was too, or she would've been dead."

"Alright. So those are the talents you possess, minus the psychic connection."

"Strength, speed, and smarts?" I asked. "Geez, if it was that easy, then why didn't you just get my friend Sarah?"

"Easy." She said. "She's a werewolf."

Chapter 3

A Wolf in Friend's Clothing

I sat there, shocked. "Im...possible." I said. She sat down. I expected a smirk, but her eyes were filled with understanding. She put a reassuring hand in my shoulder. "I know it seems impossible, but I assure you I'm telling you the truth. She _is _a werewolf." My head spun. "No." I said. "She can't be. I…I have to go see her." Asha looked amazed. "No!" She said. "Are you stupid? She'll kill you! She'll rip you apart!" I shook myself out of my daze. "I have to see her. She won't even know I'm a vampire."

"Werewolves always know!" Asha said.

"If you won't let me go, I'll just sneak out." I figured now she would just have me locked up, but what happened next surprised me.

Asha's features softened. "All right." She said. "But, if you have to go, take this." She handed me a pistol. "Just in case. That's a magnum, and its cartridge is modified to shoot silver bullets." I took the gun, somewhat reluctantly. As I walked out the door, grabbed a map.

Then I hesitated. I looked at Asha. "Thanks." I told her. I walked out the door.

It took me an all of ten minutes to find her. I snuck up behind her, mostly for fun. "Hey." I said. She jumped. She turned around. When she saw me, she turned pale. Her mouth flopped open and closed like a fish. I smiled. "Walk with me." I said.

I started walking. She stumbled after me. "How…" She started. I laughed. "Trust me," I said "It's a little confusing to me too." She sniffed. "You smell… odd." I laughed again. "So, what've you been doing these past few days?" She grimaced. "You know how I hate pity?" "Yeah" "Well, everyone's been being sickeningly sweet and sympathetic. It's disgusting." I laughed again. "You always did hate that." "So, what have you been up to?" I smiled. "Training." I said. She looked confused. "Training?" She asked. "Yeah."

Then I made the biggest mistake of my life. I flashed her my fangs. She turned even paler, and grabbed something out of her pocket. Her hand shot toward my heart clutching a stake. I gasped and jumped backwards. I jumped a little hard, though, and flew into a tree. I gasped, and fell onto the ground.

Sarah jumped toward me with the stake again. I rolled out of the way. I pulled the gun from my pocket. I pointed it at her. "What the hell?" I yelled. She snarled. Her eyes turned luminous gold.

Her face morphed into a snout. Her eyes kept their luminous gold color. Her hands turned into paws. She bent over and she was fully wolf. "Sarah!" I gasped. She lunged for me. I leaned with her weight. I fell to the ground and she snarled at my throat. I pressed the gun to her stomach. She stopped. "Get. Off. Me. _Now_." I growled.

She snarled and leapt off me. I stood up. She turned into a human again. "Vampire." She spat.

"Werewolf." I said with equal contempt.

"So that's where you were." She said. I nodded. "How could you?" I couldn't take it.

"It wasn't a choice!" I yelled. "I didn't ask for this!" I gestured up and down my body.

Her look softened. She looked away. Neither did I." she said quietly. With that, she turned into a wolf and ran off. I sighed.

Then I realized something. No matter how much I wanted to leave, to run, I had to go back. I didn't like it, not at all, but I was a vampire.

I headed back to Asha. I handed her the gun, and she took it gently. I sat down and hid my head in my hands.

"I'm sorry." I said. "You were right."

She sat down next to me, and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She said. I looked up at her and gave her a small smile.

"Thanks." I said. She stood up.

"Get some sleep." She said.

I slept long and hard. When I woke up, I saw a vial of fake blood lying next to me. I drank eagerly.

I continued this pattern for about a year. Train, sleep, drink, train, sleep, drink. But I never forgot about Sarah. I missed her so much, some times I would curl up into a little ball and cry myself to sleep. Pathetic, I know.

One day, Asha walked up. I was tired, having just finished training for the night. She stopped me on the way to my room.

"You've done well." She said. You've trained long and hard. You're fit even for a fledgeling." I looked at her.

"I still can't believe it." I admitted. I've done nothing but train and drink a blood supplement. I looked at the ceiling. "Some times I wish I could see the world. I think… after I'm a vampire… I'll travel. If you need me here, then I'll stay. Otherwise… I need fresh air. I need to see the moon. To see the stars." I sighed. But I suppose I'll have to wait.

Asha looked at me. Her eyes were filled with pity. "I know you have other friends here." She said. "But I'm also intuitive. I can feel the sadness inside you when you think of your friend." She looked away. "I think you're finally ready." She said. "Come with me."

Chapter 4:

The New Vampire

(And Akamaru Too!)

Two days later, I was standing on the pavilion of the vampire's den. It was my happiest day in 9 months.

Asha had declared it was finally time for my ceremony. I was finally to become an adult vampire.

She spent two days drilling me in what to do. Two days of the customs. I remembered them. There weren't many. She warned me that drinking the blood had certain…side effects, but wouldn't tell me what.

"Today," Asha cried, "We shall welcome a new vampire into our coven! The fledgeling Sakura shall join us! Wish her luck as she continues down the path of our kind!"

She handed me a silver goblet. I could smell something beyond delicious. Beyond wonderful. I needed to have it. I needed to have it quickly. I tilted the cup to my lips. The _real_ human blood ran down my throat, rich and sweet. It wasn't really warm, like most gross books say, but it was _definitely_ delicious. When I realized it was about halfway empty (in the course of about three seconds), I handed it to Asha, as was customary. She finished it off. I sighed.

Then a pain shot through me. I grabbed my head. I fell to one knee.

Asha bent down. She put a hand on my shoulder.

"Behold!" She cried. "The new vampire, Sakura Temori!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

I stood up, still shaking.

Asha held up a mirror. The whole vampire's can't see themselves thing is total BS.

I saw myself… only differently. My eyes had turned a bright gold. I looked strong, powerful, and confident, if somewhat shaken. In other words, I looked completely different than the girl who had come here terrified. I meant to escape, to run, but over time I had begun to trust Asha. Our bond was now unbreakable.

An hour later, I was saying my goodbyes. I intended to travel. I was fifteen, almost sixteen. And I looked way older than that, almost seventeen or eighteen.

But first thing first. Get a driver's license. I applied for one, and filled out the paperwork. Then I headed back to Asha. She grinned at me. I grinned back. I was confident, happy, and immortal. Life was good.

Asha brought out Teroshi. The evil little bastard actually let me pet him. It was the happiest day of my life. Still. She bid me sleep one more time in my room. I agreed. Why not? I could leave as soon as I was done. I finally understood why she turned me into a vampire. I sighed happily. I was on top of the world. No one could stop me.

I fell asleep on my soft warm bed. I dreamed of the adventures I would have in my new life.

Then I woke up and got the shock of my life. I opened my eyes and looked into the eyes of a baby panda. Its warm brown eyes stared sweetly into mine. Asha walked in. "I'm glad you found your new friend." She said.

I stared at her. "Huh?" I know. My verbal skills are incredible. I stared at the panda. "You mean him?" She smiled. "Yes. Every vampire has to have a pet. I bit him, so now he won't grow up." My eyes widened. "You bit him?" She smirked. "Of course. We live forever, and they would die if they didn't get bit. I gave him some blood, so he should be fine for now." He nuzzled my hand. "So, what are you going to name him?"

I looked at him. He seemed so tiny and cute, so the answer came to me right away.

"Akamaru." I said. Asha nodded. "You also have to find a place to put him." She said. I considered my options. I didn't like the idea of a leash. Then I realized I could just make where he goes like where I got the name. From my favorite TV show, Naruto. I set him on my head, where he lay there, curled up. Then I took my favorite hoodie, and zipped it up. Then I put the hood up. Now no one could see him. Asha laughed. "You stole that from Naruto." She said. "Yup." I replied. "And it'll work just fine. I'll pick up a backpack later, so I can keep food. He can stay on my head, unless he likes it somewhere else." The panda murmured contentedly. "Ummm… are you sure this is a good idea?" Pairing me up with a little panda?" She smiled. "I picked it because you needed a companion. All vampires have one. And he seemed perfect." I petted him inside my hoodie. He nuzzled my hand. I was already hooked.

I said goodbye, and we headed out. I tried to open my crappy bank account, but the guy who ran it said there wasn't a bank account, but a deposit box. I went to look inside, and found there was only one thing in there. A small gold card. I asked the man who ran the bank how much was on it. He tested the card. A little infinity sign popped up. The man's eyes bulged. His veins pumped his blood. I inhaled deeply. He smelled good. Not that I was checking him out, but he did. He handed the card back to me. He looked like he might have a stroke. I walked out of the bank giggling. It was a good thing he didn't see Akamaru, otherwise he might _have_ had a stroke.

I went to the store with Akamaru. I grabbed some root beer from the shelf, and some food for Akamaru. Wait… did vampires need food? Ah, screw it. I needed my root beer. I headed out.

I went out to Salvation Army and found a really cool book. It was a Star Wars book. It was about Han and Leia's kids Jacen and Jaina. I loved the series. It was freaking awesome.

So, as I was walking back to the coven to say my final goodbyes, a man stepped up and put a gun to my head. "Your money." He said. I snorted. He pressed it harder. I sighed. Then I dropped down to the ground. A shot went off over my head. I lifted one leg and kicked diagonally back, hitting him in the chin. He staggered back.

I quickly stood up and sweep kicked the gun from his hand. He scrambled back, terrified. I advanced slowly, enjoying his obvious fear, and let him see my fangs. "_That,_" I snarled, "_was_ the wrong choice." He looked like he was about to faint, and then suddenly grabbed something from his pocket. A small dagger. He flung it at me, and I automatically raised my arm to block it. Then something happened.

As I raised my arm, I was both afraid and pissed. I was afraid because I didn't know how fast I was, and didn't want to die. I was pissed because that bastard was trying to kill me. As I raised my hand, the world seemed to bend. It got darker and slower. I was confused, but I rolled out of the way as the dagger went slow-mo by my head. Somehow, I could _feel_ the darkness. It was responding to me. I let it go. The world sped up again. I smirked. The man was backing up. I wondered if, maybe… I raised my right hand. The man lifted with it, struggling to escape. I could tell he was about to scream, so I shut him up. As he struggled silently, I considered my options. Not many, but there was a good one. No one would believe the man if he told people the truth. I took the Star Wars approach. I wondered how to do it though. Hmmm… I stood up, and tried t put pressure on a nerve in his collarbone. I nearly passed out.


End file.
